Interfering Brats
by Crossover For Idiots
Summary: Rose, Albus, and Scorpius are Interfering Brats and proud of it. So when they discover a chance to change the past they take it. Packing up Harry's biographies the Brats send the books back hoping a different time line will be helped by them.
1. Prologue

_**Interfering Brats**_

**Prologue:**

**Messages In A Bottle...Er Box**

"Are you sure you've got it right?" a slender fifteen year old boy with bright green eyes and messy black hair asked softly. He flinched under the intensity of the glare he received in response.

"I spend all of my free time in between classes and Quidditch researching it, lock myself in my room for weeks during the summer while simultaneously holding off the curious inquiries of my Mum, Dad, Hughie, and the Hellspawn, not get more than eight hour of sleep total during this time, carve the rune sequence into my bloody bedroom floor and you ask me that now Albus?" The curly haired red head hissed from where she stood by an intricate rune circle clutching a large box in her hands. Her dark blue eyes blazed and her freckles stood out sharply against her pale face that clearly showed just how little sleep she received.

The black haired boy bit his lip looking away not liking the look of blood lust in his cousin's eyes.

"Right sorry Rosie," the boy said before looking up. "I wish you'd stop calling Lily that. It gives her _ideas_."

"Personally I like the Hellspawn's ideas when they don't involve me." the last person in the group drawled his grey eyes glowing with mischief that didn't quite go with the cool arrogant expression on his pale pointed face and the perfectly smoothed back white-blonde hair.

"Shut it, Scorpius I know you and the Hellspawn were plotting against me all year to try and force me to drop a class." Rose growled looking at the Malfoy with a look that would have made the former Dark Lord of Britain cry for his mommy. Scorpius replied with a smirk.

"It's not healthy to be taking every elective optional and be the Slytherin Quidditch Keeper." Scorpius told her bluntly.

"As long as I remember to get in a few hours of sleep I can do as I bloody well like." Rose snarled hand instinctively curling around the small golden time-turner hanging from the chain on her neck.

"Over achiever."

"Lazy prat."

"Quidditch freak."

"Defense geek."

"Tree hugger."

"Incestuous pure-blood brat."

"Higher score Arithmancy than you."

Rose looked ready to draw blood.

"Shouldn't we finish up." Albus interrupted before his cousin could kill his best friend. Rose leveled her Death Glare Level Six on him, but turned back to the circle. The red headed witch laid the box carefully in the center and stepped back.

"Alright one drop from each of us." Rose said briskly, picking up the blade on her bedside table. She pricked her finger without a flinch and gently coaxed a drop of blood out onto the runes. The instantly began glowing white.

"Barbarian." Scorpius said dryly, as he took the offered blade and added his blood to the runes making them go a brilliant shade of black-violet.

"I hope this works." Albus Severus Potter said grimly taking a step foreword and with the blade he'd taken from Scorpius cut himself and allowed his blood to join. The circle went green and the next second there was a small _pop_ and the box was gone.

* * *

><p>Albus Dumbledore rubbed his forehead trying his best to focus on the things that needed to be done and not the tragedy that had just befallen Hogwarts. Cedric's death should not have been allowed to happen. Harry should not have seen it. Yet despite what <em>should<em> have happened, it had happened and now he had to accept the consequences. Sighing Albus went over the events that had occurred these past weeks and wondered if he should tell Harry about the prophecy, but he couldn't. The boy was still that. A boy he'd been through too much.

Just as Albus was giving his Lemon Drops a longing look there was a small _pop_ and a box landed on his desk with a thud. Fawkes gave a sleepy squeak of protest having been woken form his sleep and threw Albus a disgruntled look. Albus chuckled a little and examined the box. It didn't seem threatening. Just a cardboard box with a paper attached. Albus's wards told him it was harmless, otherwise it wouldn't have been able to go through. Albus quickly picked up the letter and and scanned it. There were three different handwriting. Albus's curiosity gripped him and he read.

_Dear Professor Albus Dumbledore,_

_My name is Rose Weasley. I am a fifth year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry over twenty years in the future._ **Rose stop. Just stop. This is Albus Dumbledore we are writing to. You can not waste this opportunity. **_Shut it Albus._ Rose, darling, don't you think we should explain to the old man who the rest of us are before you start going on about the future. **I agree.** _You always agree. But fine, for once Malfoy I concede you are right. _I'm a Malfoy of course I am. _The others in this letter are Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. My **usually** sweet cousin and the Slytherin who's corrupting him._ I resent that. **Yeah, Scorpius isn't corrupting me he's showing me the joys of being a little morally lacking.** Albus I love you, but stop trying to compliment me, you're making me sound like a mini-Tom Riddle to your namesake. **Sorry. Wait aren't I his namesake?**

_Back to our main point. We are from the future, being the clever man you are I'm sure you can guess who are parents are. We have given you the weapons you need to change the future. We are happy with our lives, but we know our parents suffered and there was a lot of death that we'd like to prevent. _**Like Teddy's parents.** Yes, and my cousins. _We've been planning this for awhile and before you dismiss us as loons I will tell you two things. The love of your long life is Gellert Grindlewald and you have in your possession the Elder Wand. _**Rosie let me.** _Fine, but do not act silly._ **I'm not silly. **_Albus._ **Calm down. Right back to the letter. Now that you've been shocked out of your wits it's my turn with the Quick-Quotes Quill. **Get on with it.** Patience, I was getting there. Anyway in this book is my father's seven book biographical series. We want you to gather up those people listed on the back and read them. Then we hope this information will help you prevent a lot of death and nastiness. Before each book there is a letter to read to the group and occasionally individual letters. **And before you try something the books can only be read when everyone is gathered together. Also letters can only be read by those they are addressed to. **Thank you Scorpius.** My pleasure. _We really hope you don't ignore this._

_Sincerely,_

_The Interfering Brats_

_Rose Weasley, _**Albus Potter,** Scorpius Malfoy

Albus wished he could be pleased he had these no doubt invaluable tools. He didn't doubt the truth of their words for a second. No one except he and Gellert himself knew those secrets and Gellert would no doubt take them to the grave. Albus himself hadn't told anyone, even his trusted Minerva. The mentions of death were what worried him. It was expected that there would be death with Voldemort's rise, but it did not mean he found the confirmation pleasant. Especially sense it meant there was enough death to warrant highly illegal time-travel. Grimly he turned to look at the list on the back of the paper.

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Albus Dumbledore**

**Harry Potter**

**Ginerva Weasley**

**Hermione Granger**

**Ronald Weasley**

**Draco Malfoy**

**Asteria Greengrass**

**Severus Snape**

**Sirius Black**

**Remus Lupin**

**Nymphadora Tonks**

**Luna Lovegood**

**Hannah Abbott**

**Neville Longbottom**

**Fred Weasley**

**George Weasley**

**Angelina Johnson**

**Percy Weasley**

**Audrey Cohen**

**William "Bill" Weasley**

**Fleur Delacour**

Albus couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at some of the choices. But suspecting he no doubt wouldn't be able to open the books without them, Albus began to consider just how to gather them and where they could do this in private. Then he noted a scribbled message below the list.

_Ask the house-elves about the Come-and-Go room._


	2. Chapter 1

_**Interfering Brats**_

**Chapter One:**

**Harry Potter and His Biographies**

Harry didn't know what he expected when he received a note from Professor Dumbledore telling him to meet the Headmaster at the enormous tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, but the odd group assembled was not it.

Hermione and Ron looked at his questioningly.

Snape glared at them all, looking even more angry than usual.

McGonagall's lips were almost nonexistent as she looked over the group with narrowed eyes.

Neville wore an expression of utmost confusion, as if he wasn't sure rather he was supposed to be there.

On one side of Neville was a grim faced Ginny, while on the other was an unfamiliar dirty blonde girl with radish earrings. She wore a dreamy expression that made Harry wonder if she was all there.

Beside Fred and George was a small blonde girl, whom they were both gaping at with unrestrained awe. The blonde girl was smirking at a horrified, red faced Percy, who appeared to have been shocked into indignant silence.

Next to Percy the oldest Weasley brother was ignoring Percy's plight in favor of the pretty French witch besides him. Fleur just looked pleased to have bill's attention despite her paler than normal complexion, no doubt from the past few days. They were getting along swimmingly.

The same could not be said for the brunette girl, Harry vaguely recognized as a Slytherin, and a familiar blonde. Malfoy looked downright murderous at the equally angry girl, meeting her glare-for-glare.

Angelina Johnson and Hannah Abbott stood awkwardly away from the group, clearly uncertain as to why they were there.

Harry's heart skipped a beat as he saw a familiar canine in between Dumbledore and Remus, who was speaking quietly with a bubblegum haired woman beside him.

Dumbledore met Harry's panicked gaze with a gentle smile that did not help Harry with the nervous breakdown he was having at the sight of Sirius in front of all these people, even if it was in his dog form.

"Harry, my boy, glad you've made it." Dumbledore stated lightly, causing the previously distracted members of the group to notice him. Ignoring the mixture of smiles and glares he received (and one look of utter disinterest from the brunette Slytherin) Harry stared at Dumbledore. The old man promptly began walking back and forth. Before Harry could finish the thought that the Headmaster had gone around the bend a door materialized. Wit a small pleased "ah" Dumbledore opened the door and stepped through.

No one moved.

Dumbledore stuck his head back out and gave them all his brightest smile.

"Come now we really must get started." The Headmaster said calmly, before ducking back into the room.

Still there was hesitation.

Finally it was broken by a growl from Snape and his angry stomp as he followed Dumbledore in. Not wanting to be shown up Sirius went after Snape with a bark and tail high in the air. Nobody wanted to be left behind by a dog and soon they were all in a large room with a crackling fireplace and some purple sofas and chairs arranged in a semi-circle. Next to the particularly squishy violently violet love seat where Dumbledore sat was a small table. On the table were seven books, a pile of letters, and a large plate of sandwiches.

Greeted by Dumbledore's soft smile the group quickly scattered to different pieces of furniture. When everyone was settled Dumbledore waved his wand and a letter from the pile jumped into everyone's hands, with the notable exception of Sirius and Dumbledore.

"Before you open your letters I will explain why I have brought you here. Each of you now holds a individual proof of my words, and though they are fantastic I assure you they are true." Dumbledore paused to allow this to sink in.

"These books," Dumbledore began calmly gesturing to the table in front of him. "are from the future. They have been sent to the past with the hopes of changing the future. They are Harry's biographies and their senders feel they will be most beneficial. Now before you assume I've gone mad," Dumbledore gave a gently amused smile at that.

"Please read your letters."

The members of the room looked dubious, but decided to see if it could possibly be true (or to humor the old man in some causes). Harry gaped at the piece of paper disbelieving as hisses, gasps, and groans met his ears. On it was some of his best kept secret.

_The Sorting Hat thought you'd do well. The only good memory you have of the Dursleys was a hug you received from Great-Aunt Petunia when you were four. You had nearly been hit by a car and when she calmed down she acted as if nothing happened._

_Love,_

_Your Son Albus Potter_

"I have a son." Harry blurted out shocked, without thinking. Hermione, who was curiously bright pink, gave him a sharp look.

"Your letter is signed?" she questioned. Harry nodded as pictures of a baby with bright green eyes and messy black hair danced through his mind.

"Quite," Dumbledore said with a familiar twinkle. "Albus Potter, Rose Weasley, and Scorpius Malfoy are responsible for these books."

"My daughter/son!" Ron and Malfoy said at the same time.

Dumbledore nodded sagely. "Yes. Miss Weasley was responsible for the actually sending I understand, but Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter helped gather the information they needed as I understand."

"Ronniekins how could-"

"You keep such a-"

"Momentous-"

"Magnificent-"

"Outstanding-"

"Secret from us?" the Twins asked with mock horror. Ron looked at them still in shock from the discover his daughter had sent him a message from the future and had cooperated with a Malfoy.

"What secret?" Ron asked.

The Twins wore identical grins.

"What secret-" George began looking at Fred and shaking his head.

"-as if he doesn't know." Fred answered tutting his disappointment.

"I still don't know." Ron told them too shocked to snap.

"We want to know-"

"-what poor-"

"-unfortunate-"

"possibly blind-"

"-little bird you've got hidden from us!" Fred finished. Ron went bright red.

"WHAT?" Fred and George shook their heads with looks of disbelief.

"Don't tell us you haven't had-"

"-the dragons and the unicorns talk yet."

"You see brother dearest-"

"-when a witch and a wizard love each other very much-"

"-or two wizards-"

"-or two witches-"

"-they decide to show each other this love-"

"SHUT UP!" Ron screamed covering his ears and looking even redder than his hair. Malfoy snickered. Causing Ron to glare at him. Malfoy though ignored this not seeming to be quite aware of his surroundings.

"Sir," a quiet voice interrupted causing everyone to stare at the small blonde.

"Yes, Miss Cohen?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, I understand why they're here." the girl made a sweeping gesture with her hand towards Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys, and the Professors.

"But why are we here?" the girl quickly pointed at Malfoy, herself, Fleur, the brunette, the radish earrings girl, Neville, Sirius, and the bubblegum haired woman. "We barely associate with each other, much less Potter and his friends."

"I suspect we will have to find out, in fact I have something that might reveal just that. But first I believe we should introduce ourselves for those of us who haven't met."

"I'm Nymphadora Tonks, Auror. But just call me Tonks." the bubblegum haired girl told them, looking pale. Harry blinked realizing she couldn't be much older than Bill, if that.

"Audrey Cohen." the blonde girl said with a slight frown. Percy made a sounded that Harry swore was a scoff making Audrey give him a smug grin.

"Asteria Greengrass." the brunette said coolly from her place beside Audrey.

"Hermione Granger."

"Forge Weasley."

"Gred Weasley."

"Hannah Abbott."

"Luna Lovegood." the dirty blonde girl said humming lightly as she twisted a strained of hair delicately around her finger.

"Ginny Weasley."

"Remus Lupin," Remus said and with a small smile patted Sirius on the head. "And this is Snuffles."

"Angelina Johnson."

"Draco Malfoy."

"R-Ron Weasley." Ron still didn't look quite over his discovery of his future child.

"Percy Weasley." There was a snicker from Audrey's direction, but when Harry looked she wore an expression of perfect innocence which she somehow managed to make look real.

"Neville Longbottom."

"Harry Potter." Harry said wondering if there was really anyone ho didn't know who he was.

"You know who I am." Snape snapped glaring at Sirius hatefully. Sirius growled at him to the bewilderment of some of the room who were wondering to themselves if Snape had snapped.

"Minerva McGonagall." McGonagall snapped when Dumbledore gave her a pointed look.

"Bill Weasley."

"Fleur Delacour." Fleur said starring around the room curiously.

"And I am Albus Dumbledore." Dumbledore said and then drew a envelope from his robes. "And now a word from our senders."

As soon as Dumbledore opened the envelope the paper inside jumped out and latched itself on the wall above the fire place until it covered the entire thing. Before anyone could react a number ten appeared on the paper and began counting backwards.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

_Suddenly there was a girl a little older than them squinting as if she were looking at them. She had shoulder length crinkle curls of red, dark blue eyes, and what could only be Ron's nose. Behind her though was unmistakeably the inside of Hagrid's Hut. They all jumped when they heard a bark and saw Fang run in intent on licking the red head to death it seemed. Before he could reach her though a blonde boy, who looked almost exactly like Malfoy appeared and grabbed the dog by the collar._

"_Not now Fang, you can play with Rose later." the Malfoy look alike scolded in a baby voice that was distinctly unMalfoy._

_The red head, Rose, rolled her eyes. "Get Fang out of the shot before Albus starts filming."_

_The blonde ignored her bending down to pet on the boar hound, cooing at him unselfconsciously._

"_Scorpius!"_

"_Rosie!"_

"_This is serious you prat!"_

"_No, this is Fang, if you're looking for Sirius ask James." Scorpius replied looking at Rose as if she were exceptionally slow. _

There was a few gasps at this but everyone focused on the scene.

"_Er, guys." a soft voice asked from somewhere not scene. Scorpius and Rose both looked toawrds the speaker, on annoyed, one amused._

"_What?"_

"_Yes, Albus, darling?"_

Harry went pale and Malfoy looked as if he'd been slapped. They looked at each other and away rather quickly.

"_I'm recording."_

_Rose went wide eyed and Scorpius flushed bright pink._

"_Ignore the darling part, er, younger dad. Come on Fang time to give Rosie her time in the spotlight." Scorpius said before ducking out of the way quickly. Rose glared at him, but quickly shook her head and straightened with a serious expression._

"_Alright you all already know why the books are there, but some of you are probably wondering why **you're** there. Everyone in this room plays an important part in the future even if you haven't realized it yet. We are giving you a chance to save your loved ones. Don't waste it." Rose seemed to pause considering and then smiled. "Oh, and Asteria don't hit Mr. Malfoy—I mean Draco to much. He doesn't remain a git forever." _

_Off scene there was the sound of a Malfoyish scoff that told everyone what Scorpius thought of rose's comments on his father._

"_Oh, and one more thing. When you feel like killing each other remember you were chosen for a reason. **All of you.**"_

The scene went white and the paper shrunk falling to the ground silently. Nobody spoke until Dumbledore gently picked up the smallest book.

"I shall start I suppose." the old man said lightly.

"**Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.**"


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: This took forever to right and I'm not really satisfied with it, but I needed to get this done with. The pattern will be about three chapters and a break where it's just our characters going about their day or having discussions, and then back to reading. I'll be doing all seven books, but there will be a twist when they finally catch up.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Interfering Brats<strong>_

**Chapter Two:**

**The-Boy-Who-Lived**

"**Chapter One**," Dumbledore began. "**The Boy Who Lived.**"

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursleys, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"When pigs fly," Harry snarled gaining some surprised glances from the room.

"What?" Those in the room unfamiliar with the Muggle World questioned.

"It's a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility," Hermione explained. "Harry meant that Dursleys are far from normal."

Audrey's eyebrows shot up at the dark look on Harry's face and she wondered just what was The-Boy-Who-Lived's home life was like and how he felt about having it laid out before some total strangers and his friends. Beside her Asteria was wondering much the same thing and the girls shared a look of utter understanding. This would be interesting.

Snape scowled at Harry's words. Honestly the brat had no respect for the people who raised him. Was it any wonder he'd turned out as he did. And now he'd have to sit and listen to how the boy had been spoiled by Petunia and her husband. Having known Petunia he had little love for her and even less for abominable husband, whom he'd only had the misfortune of meeting once.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"Muggle tool." Hermione said before the Purebloods could ask.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on neighbors.**

Snape snorted. Petunia hadn't changed much it seemed. With that as an example it would have been a miracle if Potter hadn't stuck his nose into everything and anything that didn't concern his annoying little self. The rest in the room looked at Snape curiously or thoughtfully in Asteria, Audrey and Luna's causes. The first two wondering if perhaps he knew the Muggle and the last wondering if perhaps Snape was upset by the description of her long neck since he was clearly a grumpy vampire.

"Are you hungry professor?" Luna questioned still twirling her hair around her finger.

Snape looked at the blonde girl incredulously and didn't answer.

Luna hmmed to herself. Maybe he was sensitive about talking about drinking blood in front of others. The sheep that populated the Wizarding World were not known for their accepting nature. Poor man. Luna nodded to herself and gave Snape an understanding smile that made the man distinctly uncomfortable. Why was the little Ravenclaw smiling at him in the same way Dumbledore did when he was about to be either incredibly, sickeningly emotional or his most manipulative?

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

This time Harry wasn't the only one to snort.

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked confused. The woman blushed to most everyone's surprise.

"I may have had some experience with your cousin, Potter." McGonagall told them reluctantly, causing quite a few raised eyebrows.

Audrey and Asteria shared another look. Hermione noted it and wondered to herself what the girls had noticed.

"Wh-" Harry began only to be cut off by Dumbledore.

"I'm certain this admirable little tome will reveal all, my boy." Dumbledore interjected lightly and slowly, reluctantly Harry settled casting McGonagall a curious look.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their worst fear was that somebody would discover it.**

Dumbledore paused as he skimmed over the next sentences and frowned to himself. Harry looked grim guessing what that _dreadful_ secret was rather easily.

**They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,**

"WHAT?!" Several of the rooms members shouted indignantly. The most notable being Snape, whom everyone stared at in shock. The fuming man didn't react too busy seething at Petunia's behavior, knowing how it would have hurt Lily. Hermione noted the reaction and wondered to herself what connection there was between the Dursleys and Snape. She wasn't the only one. Harry, Audrey, and Asteria were thinking much the same. Draco frowned in confusion, wondering what his Godfather had to do with Potter's family, especially his Mudblood mother.

**Because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

"I would hope so." Hermione snarled, hissing like an angry goose.

"That isn't even a word." Percy, who'd been wondering why he was even here to listen to Potter's dribble, muttered to himself indignantly. Audrey gave him a sharp look.

"Methinks-"

"That your relatives-"

"Aren't entirely fond-"

"Of your parents Harrykins."

Harry frowned in agreement, but starred at the book darkly wondering when it would mention the cupboard and hoping Hermione didn't completely destroy his hearing when it did.

"I think perhaps we should all remain silent unless we have something important to contribute. Otherwise we'll never get done." McGonagall said eyes flashing in a way that made Albus Dumbledore a little fearful. He was starting to worry. But forced it away. Surely any lingering bitterness between two sisters childhood rivalry would be destroyed in the wake of a tragedy. Surely?

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him.**

Dark looks were exchanged at that.

**The boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"There's nothing wrong with Harry you horrible creatures!" Ginny yelled furious, eyes glowing in a way that usual signaled a Bat-Boogey Curse was about to be let loose on some poor unsuspecting victim.

Sirius gave bark of protest and Remus's eyes took on a golden color that did not bode well for the Dursleys. McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with a grim 'I-told-you-so' glare and Hermione was quietly saying words she normally would never say in front of teachers under her breath. Ron frowned looking troubled and the other Weasley boys wore dark expressions not liking the people who had raised their adopted brother. Even Percy looked a little troubled. Snape's eyes were narrowed in a look so deadly Dumbledore was worried about how he'd stop Severus from getting sent to Azkaban if the Dursleys did turn out to be less than satisfactory caregivers. He knew the man was just waiting for a chance to jump them for the insults against Lily.

Most surprising of all was how furious Draco was.

"MIXING WITH A CHILD LIKE THAT!" the Pureblood roared looking almost as upset as Hermione. "Those bloody, good for nothing, filthy Muggle bastards! They should be bloody honored to even know a witch or wizard!"

"Mr. Malfoy, language!" McGonagall snapped, though she looked like she wanted to snap also.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and the room reluctantly quieted having a bad feeling about where this was going.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up in the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed and picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Brat," Most of the room chorused. Ron gave Draco an incredulous look at his chiming in with the rest of them.

"Hypocrite." Ron accused, causing the blonde to look offended.

"I am nothing like that bloody Muggle, Weasel! My father would have whipped me black and blue for acting like that and my mother would have made work with the house elves as punishment." Draco snapped, ignoring the snort of disbelief from Asteria, who was thinking Draco was definitely a brat as big if not bigger than Dudley Dursley.

"Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall warned.

"I would think working with them would give you more perspective to their blight," Hermione said eyes glowing as she grabbed onto the last bit. "If everyone could see a little what it was like to be them than we could do away with this slavery."

Draco frowned. "I've done it before and it didn't make me want to do away with it. If anything it made me determined to always have house-elves on staff so I didn't have to do anything myself."

Hermione glared at him for it, but stopped when Dumbledore began reading again.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke,"**

Incredulous looks spread across the room at that.

**Chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into the car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar—a cat reading a map.**

McGonagall paled and Dumbledore looked suddenly morose. Snape noticed and felt a chill go down his spine. He looked at the book suddenly having a horrified certainty as to why this particular Tuesday was so important.

The students who'd seen McGonagall's form sent the woman suspicious looks, but catching her expression shared anxious looks. Remus stiffened beside Tonks, and Sirius's ears went flat against his head as he let out a nervous whine.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen—then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of?**

"Think?" Harry snorted under his breath. "That's a surprise."

**it must have been a trick of the light. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive—no **_**looking**_** at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

Draco rolled his eyes. Merlin this Muggle was an idiot. Draco opened his mouth to say so, but then he caught Potter's expression. What the—? Wasn't Saint Potter supposed to love the Muggle trash early comments aside. The expression on Potter's face was something close to hate with a lot of pain and shame mixed in. Seeming to sense his gaze Potter's face went blank. A second before Potter looked at him Draco focused on Dumbledore. Draco was seriously starting to get confused. Why was he here? What was with everyone? And why would his son be friends with a Weasley?

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dress people about. People in cloaks.**

McGonagall looked heavenward silently asking the gods why her fellow Magical citizens were stupid enough to walk in broad daylight in a Muggle street without wearing the proper clothes. It was if they wanted to get found out the day after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was finally defeated.

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes—the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos**

"You're the weirdo." Fred, George, and Ron muttered to themselves darkly. All three of them remembered the bars on Harry's windows and thought anyone who'd do that to their adopted little brother/best friend had some serious problems.

**Standing close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt—these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

Luna shook her head pity welling up in her for Vernon Dursley. That poor, poor sheep, er, man. He was just like the sheep-like people Luna knew in the Wizarding World. They were completely unable to grasp the infinite possibilities of the world. Poor dears, it must make their lives dreadfully uninteresting.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs**

Harry raised an eyebrow. Uncle Vernon and willingly exercising didn't go together.

**and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

That would explain it.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

"**The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard—"**

"—**yes, their son, Harry—"**

Dumbledore paused and closed his eyes for a moment as if the words pained him. McGonagall and Snape looked grim, as if their worst fears had been confirmed. Hermione strangled a gasp and her eyes widened as she realized what day it was in the book. Sirius growled a little, remembering what he'd been doing that day and the consequences of it. The rest of the room though didn't notice.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking...no, he was being stupid.**

Both Harry and Snape snorted at that. No surprise there.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his ****nephew **_**was**_** called Harry. He'd never seen the boy.**

**It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point inn worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her—if he'd had a sister like that...**

Snape's fingers twitched at the overwhelming urge to curse Vernon Dursley.

**but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"**Sorry," he grunted,****as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost ****knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like**** yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

"Please tell me that isn't Filius." McGonagall muttered to Dumbledore under her breath quietly. Dumbledore gave a noncommittal hum and kept reading, leaving McGonagall to wonder how exactly her fellow staff members even in the post-Voldemort euphoria could have joined in on the foolish and dangerous behavior. She'd expected better of them at least.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle** **and walked off. Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the s****pot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't a****pprove of imagination.**

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." The small Ravenclaw quoted and shook her head with a downright sympathetic look on her face. "His life must be rather dull. Poor thing." Luna commented lightly, garnering startled looks from the others. Many of whom wondered why she was here.

"It is indeed a shame to discount such an essential part to the enjoyment of life, Miss Lovegood." Dumbledore agreed.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

"Five galleons it's McGonagall!" Fred whispered to George quietly. George nodded.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

Sirius barked, giving McGonagall a very pointed look and shook looking oddly frustrated. Remus himself hid a smile, knowing very well his friend wanted to desperately to make a comment about Minerva 'Minnie' McGonagall as he'd insisted on calling her their entire time at Hogwarts.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

_Coward_. Many thought to themselves.

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**

Draco looked like he wanted to say something, but the amused look Asteria gave him made him stop. He looked away listening to Weasley mutter under his breathe what they both thought in language the Head of Gryffindor definitely wouldn't approve of. Stupid Greengrass and her oddly attractive deep brown eyes, Draco thought mutinously pointedly ignoring the fact he'd complimented her. He'd been getting good at ignoring anything positive he thought of Asteria ever since he'd had that minor mental breakdown during Christmas vacation and kissed her under the mistletoe at his parents annual Christmas Ball after trying some wine that had not, as it turned out, been watered down at all. He'd also gotten good at blocking out flashbacks of how sweet and pretty she'd looked and the fact that she'd laughed at him as soon as he finished the kiss. Yes, she was a vicious stupid little girl. He ignored the fact that she was actually thirteen despite her status as second year. He just had to remember he didn't like her even if she had helped him back to her room when he'd thrown up and managed to come up with an excuse that prevented him from completely embarrassing himself.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin."Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

"Dedalus." McGonagall said with shaking her head at the man. Those who knew him chuckled lightly (Or barked in Sirius's case), while the students wondered who she was talking about.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously.**

**"Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

Snape wondered idly if Petunia would appreciate a visit from an old family friend.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her lot."**

Draco muttered mutinously, but otherwise remained silent as the room focused, some already knowing what the date was and others eager to get to something more substantial.

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

_And Dudley is so much better_. Harry thought to himself, but his heart twanged slightly. He might be able to distract himself with remarks on the Dursleys, but he knew sooner than he'd liked he was going to be forced to answer some questions he didn't want to and have all his secrets spread out before everyone. He might have been able to bear through this if it was just Hermione and Ron, but for Merlin's sake _Malfoy_ and _Snape_ were here.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...**

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

The room shared a perplexed look at this appearance with the exception of the occupants who'd been present during the time.

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. **

The Weasley twins muttered between themselves quietly, George throwing Dumbledore a careful look and catching McGonagall's look at him. Smiling to himself he quickly whispered something to Fred under Angelina's amused gaze. Fred agreed instantly.

**He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Knew it." George muttered to himself as his brother grudgingly passed him Five Galleons. Angelina attempted to hide a smile at the movement, but George saw her and winked causing his longtime friend to roll her eyes and turn back to Dumbledore used to the Twins antics by now. Only one of the room's occupants noticed that George allowed his gaze to linger on the female Chaser a little longer than necessary or the extra warmth in his eyes when he did.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

Harry shifted in his seat wondering if there was a way to inconspicuously disappear without the use of his Invisibility Cloak. He knew exactly what day at was, had for a bit, and he wasn't looking forward to the reactions of the others.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Cool." Ron commented almost to himself.

**He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

George returned his brother's Galleons with a smile.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

Laughter abounded at this, but was quickly silenced with a quick sweep of McGonagall's gaze.

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"**

There were sharp intakes as everyone realized the time period now. Harry tried to ignore the sympathetic looks, finding the purple cushions suddenly fascinating. The tension in the room grew as it went completely silent, losing all of the fidgeting sounds and sighs that had filled it.

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.**

**"I know you haven 't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying,"**** she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow.** **He went to find the Potters.** **The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. "**

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it... Oh, Albus..."**

Sirius hung his head and Remus looked stricken at the mention of the names.

Hannah Abbott had tears in her eyes remembering quite well what it was like to lose a parent, having lost her father right before Hogwarts. Beside her Neville looked slightly panicked and awkwardly patted the girl's arm. Looking up at the Gryffindor surprised Hannah gave a watery smile and took his hand to hold. She didn't catch the blush or the mix of confusion, fear, and glee on Neville's face at this movement, but Hermione certainly did. She smiled recalling Neville's confession about his crush on the Hufflepuff.

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tr****ied to kill the Potter's son, Harry.** **But – he couldn't.** **He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

Harry refused to look up and even Dumbledore took a moment to collect himself having already known what was coming. The room was mournful and one Severus Snape could only think of dark red hair and emerald eyes gone forever. A memory of going to the home and finding her on the floor while the child in front of him cried his forehead bleeding. Snape shivered pushing the memories as far away as possible, but not before Remus noticed the strange expression on the man's face and remembered quite suddenly just how close Lily and Snape had truly been. It was a strange thought.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**

**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for him," **

Several if not all of the rooms occupants had serious doubts on this subject. Though the two neutral parties, Audrey and Asteria, were busy wondering if there was something else that had triggered Dumbledore's choosing of this particular home. Surely the Potters had close friends The-Boy-Who-Lived could have gone with.

**said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life." Harry said, piping up for the first time since the chapter had taken such a serious turn. McGonagall looked almost sheepish, knowing quite well that Hagrid had managed the job fine. Dumbledore smiled at this knowing Hagrid would be touched at Harry's words delivered so seriously to them all.

"**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

Harry flushed a little at that, but couldn't help but be a little happy that the headmaster and he thought so much alike on this subject.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it.**

**He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black**

There was a flinch and even a few looks at Harry from those unaware of the truth behind Sirius's name and the black dog animagus laid down front paws folded over one another, head resting on them in his best attempt of innocence.

It wasn't a very good one.

**lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. ****Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep.** **Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"I suppose I should show the illustration of Young Harry now." Dumbledore decided marking his place with a finger a flipping back to reveal the drawing of a small child like the one described.

"You're adorable Harry." Ginny said warmly, looking troubled by the chapters content and glad to focus on something else. The other girls quickly agreed and suddenly Harry was looking away for a very different reason head ducked down embarrassed. Ron gave him a small grin and a pat on the back, which Harry took to mean he sympathized with Harry's blight or found the girls' and Harry's reaction funny. Probably a bit of both.

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter**** rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she op****ened the front door to put out the milk bottles,** **no****r that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their gla****sses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"**

Hermione looked downright scandalized, giving Dumbledore a look that on anyone else would have bordered on insolent. "A letter." She hissed eyes narrowed. "You left Harry, a baby Harry alone in the dark and cold with a letter!"

"Trust me when I say Harry was quite safe Miss Granger." Dumbledore said calmly, face the picture of benevolence. "It was not simply blankets protecting him."

Hermione didn't look entirely satisfied, but backed down.

Dumbledore looked around the room for a moment meeting everyone's eyes.

"Now that everyone better understands what is going on, I believe it is best to lay down some rules. Firstly, you are expected to conduct yourself properly respecting each and every individual in this room, no matter who they may be. As for myself and my fellow Professors, we shall refrain from punishing any behavior revealed in these readings, but will not allow any flouting of these rules in the room. If there is anything you feel seriously needs to be discussed please try to save most of it for after the chapter readings, I believe a break every few chapters should suffice. I suggest taking turns reading and it goes without saying that anything and everything discussed in this room will not leave this room without the unanimous consent of every individual."

After a moment of allowing this to sink in Dumbledore marked the page and based it on to Professor McGonagall.

Looking down at the title of the next chapter and the illustration her eye brows shot up.

"**Chapter Two**," McGonagall said clearly. "**The Vanishing Glass**"

Harry bit back a groan knowing exactly when this was too.


End file.
